Shui no Seimei
by Tsubaki Shiro
Summary: What happens when Rika and Renamon fight? Where will the brokenhearted fox go? Will Rika ever show her compassionate side? Summary sucks, but story is good, I promise! RenamonxOC
1. The Beginning of a Destructive End

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Disclaimer: **I don't own anything that has to do with Digimon except my own character(s), as you'll see later on in the story. Everything else, sadly, belongs to Yukio Kaizawa and Chiaki J. Konaka (bless them for giving me the inspiration to write this). Also, this beginning scene is taken from the ending of Episode 10 of Digimon Tamers and the beginning of Episode 11. I don't take any credit for the storyline of this beginning portion of my story. 

**Author's Notes:** Hey everybody - This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic in general, though my second in writing a story. I hope to receive plenty of R and R from any peeps daring enough to read my kind of material. No flames, please. There's a warning below for the things that will be introduced in the story.

**Warning:** This story is M rated for a reason. There are lemons and limes in this story, though not necessarily this chapter, as well as zoophilia/bestiality (for those who don't know this is sex between human and animal, technically Digimon aren't human so I'll list them under animals) and age play (once again for those who aren't into these sexual terms age play is sex or sexual play between people with a large age discrepancy, often called pedophilia). Everything here is consensual and there's nothing forced. I hope you enjoy.

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**Chapter 1: The Beginning of a Destructive End**

After a prolonged battle with Icedevimon, the ice dome covering the roof of the building melted away and left the three Tamers and their Digimon atop a huge sculpture with the surrounding area destroyed from the battle. All three Digimon were tired from the vicious attacks of Icedevimon, but none so much as Kyuubimon who took the brunt of them.

"Rika, are you alright?" questioned a concerned Takato. After the grueling time, he was only concerned for her safety, but, as usual, the emotionless Queen of Ice shrugged it off like it was nothing.

"I hate 'em…" A low whisper emitted from the stoic figure, her head hanging almost as if she was regretting something. Off to the side, Henry switched perception from one to the other with an apprehensive look in his face, knowing that something bad was coming their way.

"Well, he's gone now!" Takato proclaimed, thinking that Rika was referring to her hatred of the Icedevimon that had once held her in his icy grasp. After that moment of confusion and turmoil, it would have been hard to think otherwise, but of course Rika wasn't thinking at all about being in danger nor was she afraid of things like that. In fact, that was the last thing on her mind.

"Not him…I hate Digimon, all of them!" She shouted out, projecting her voice as if she were trying to rid herself of some subconscious mind that she hated, some portion of her life she regretted.

"Huh?!?!" The Tamers were obviously taken aback by this exclamation of hatred, this loathing for the monsters that the young kids had grown to call their friends. "Awwww…." Guilmon and Calumon expressed their depression at the notion of someone, even a girl like Rika, hating Digimon.

Kyuubimon, exasperated by Rika's indiscrete apathy towards any type of compassion, stood up and walked towards the edge of the building, moving to stand atop the fence and stare at the moon. Her face was completely emotionless, though it was clear through her eyes how badly the fox Digimon was hurting. Looking up at the moon, the poor fox demon seemed to be asking the Heavens for an answer to this problematic situation, wondering if someone, or something, out there could change this girl. If anything, though Kyuubimon hated to admit it, she wished for someone else to be her Tamer, someone more compassionate and loving.

Rika walked off in the other direction, intent on getting away from this group of naïve juveniles. "Rika, you don't mean that." Takato was worried for Rika who seemed to be pushing everyone away. He wanted to see some kind of passion in the girl's eyes save the blazing anger that she harbored day to day. Everyone watched as Tamer and Digimon parted in different directions. "Kyuubimon, where are you going?" Takato was also noticeably shocked that even Kyuubimon was giving up on this whole partnership, acting as though it wasn't worth it to try and convince Rika to be more benevolent and open. "Hey, what's wrong with you?!?! Aren't you guys supposed to be friends?!?!" Sadly, the loud boy's words fell on deaf ears, either unheard or unwanted.

Deciding that there was nothing left for her here, Rika ran off to her house, sauntered into her room and headed in the direction of her garbage can. Taking off both her Scanner and her Cards, she grimaced in reminiscence. She thought about all the times she felt like she had fun, all those times spent with Renamon and the others. _It's not worth it, nothing ever is._ With that, she tossed the items in her hands into the garbage. "I hate Digimon," she thought out loud.

Outside, Renamon had de-digivolved and followed Rika home silently, always keeping to the shadows to avoid confrontation with her human Tamer. Sighing in sadness, she watched, from the shadows in Rika's room as Rika tossed away the Scanner and the Modify Cards that had won them so many battles in the past. Defeated, she dissolved into the shadows and ran away from that household, unknowingly headed towards Henry's place. Troubled, Renamon spent the night hopping from roof to roof to the boy's abode, wondering what the true nature of strength and bonds meant.

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The next day progressed without the action-filled events that normally came with the presence of a Digital field. Henry, much like Renamon, was also troubled. His thoughts, however, centered on keeping his poor, cute, little Terriermon from fighting against the malevolent Digimon and putting itself in harm's way. He never wanted to see his partner suffer in any shape or form. Seeing the Digital field in front of him, Henry prevented Terriermon from rushing in and getting into a fight. During the fiasco, however, the field dissipated and soon disappeared altogether.

As the pair walked back home, Henry immediately went into the tub and thought about the whole idea of Terriermon fighting, digivolving into Gargomon and going insane again. That huge bunny going crazy was definitely something that the blue-headed Tamer wanted to avoid at all costs; however, if the two remained on he sidelines for all the fights, how was Terriermon going to get stronger and protect himself? Wanting to remove such confliction in his mind, Henry simply splashed his face with some water, dried himself off, and stepped into his room.

In his pajamas, Henry grabbed a carton of milk and drank it as he stepped outside onto his balcony that overlooked the city. Looking up, he saw a shadowy figure standing atop a water tower. He watched as it streaked across the sky and landed only to run down the street away from him. Now that his attention was on Renamon, he ran downstairs and gave his parents an excuse to take his bike and pedal off to give chase. (AN: poor Terriermon, he's getting abused by that annoying sister…)

If people had looked outside, all they would see would be a blur going down the street with a panting biker in pursuit. A weird sight, but real nonetheless. The biker, on the other hand, didn't think anything was weird at all as he struggled to keep up with the swift fox. He noticed that Renamon was not going at her usual blinding speed but rather slowing down at times and always making sure that she was at the edge of his vision. _I think she wants me to follow her, _he thought as sweat dribbled down his face. Renamon, on the other hand, was confused as to what she really wanted. Her body was slowing down enough to let Henry keep up with her, but the only thing on her mind was _Catch me if you can_.

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Meanwhile, back at the Nonaka compound, Rika stared up at the ceiling while thinking back to what had happened last night atop the building. _Guess I didn't make any friends yesterday_. Her thoughts were depressing and sad, but her hatred remained strong. _Who needs them, anyways?_ As usual, Rika's dark heart cut itself off from the world around her and ignored all the necessary things in a good relationship. She didn't want to become intimately related to the world around her, thinking that she could do well on her own and without any help from anyone. Closing her eyes, she tried to go to sleep, her mind filled with dark images of the past.

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The two finally stopped at a park where Renamon perched atop the swings while Henry left his bike against a nearby steps and stood just a few meters from the base of the swings. For a while, the two simply stared at different things: Renamon, the moon, and Henry, Renamon. Nothing was said, though the silence between them said more than any words could. When the fox finally spoke, her voice was shaky and worried, not like her usual confident self.

"Until recently, I thought my only purpose here in the real world was to fight and load the data of those I deleted. Digivolving and vanquishing my enemies were the only things that made me feel worthy. And Rika, her only attachment to me was as a Tamer who could make me stronger. But now I'm not so sure."

"There's gotta be a bigger reason why me and my friends were chosen to be Digimon Tamers in the first place. It would help both of us if we could just figure that out. What do you think? Renamon? Helloooo?" Henry was asking a question that plagued both of them. What was their purpose together in the world if they couldn't get along, if they didn't agree with each other? What was the point of a partnership if the two partners were constantly arguing and conflicting with each other? His questions, however, were met with silence once more, and the young Tamer let out an tired sigh of defeat.

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Back at the house where Henry had left his poor Terriermon to the tortures of his little sister, the aforementioned Digimon was stuck underneath the young child and struggling to tug his ear out of its painful predicament. After several failed attempts, the bunny Digimon finally managed to slip his ear from under the sleeping girl and roll off to the side, falling off the bed and tumbling into a ball. Righting himself, Terriermon jumped back up onto the bed and motherly pulled the blanket over the snoring figure. _She sure is a lot cuter when she's asleep._

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The next morning brought forth a blazing sun, new adventures, and the same old cold, bitter attitude from the notorious Ice Queen Rika. Her arctic nature, however, did nothing to stop the playful argument going on at the school grounds where Jerry was opting for a rematch against Takato ever since the latter was victorious in their last Digimon card battle.

After a short banter with two girls from their class that had walked over, Takato and Jerry head over to the playground for their rematch. Not surprisingly, Takato was beaten very easily, his combo having been overcome because Jerry had seen it before. Afterwards, Jerry and his friend (A/N: Someone find out his name for me? At a loss here…) walked off, laughing about how the previous battle had been just a fluke. Embarrassed and angered, Takato ran toward the park where Guilmon lay in hiding.

"Takatomon, what's wrong?" asked the ever curious Guilmon. Still a child, he didn't know the difference between right and wrong, how to say someone's name properly, or even to listen to orders.

Takato grumbled and sighed, leaning against the wall and slumping down to the ground. "Ah, don't worry yourself about it, Guilmon. My friends were just being real jerks today…Guilmon?"

The red Digimon was on his feet, growling at something with his eyes glowing yellow. Without another word, the dinosaur charged out of the shelter and headed towards a very busy intersection in the city where a Digital Field was forming. Guilmon and his Tamer charged in recklessly and stared at the huge figure that was looming over them, casting a large shadow on the ground.

"Greetings, pathetic human…" growled a very gutteral voice.

Who is this large creature that appeared in the center of Tokyo? Will Guilmon and Takato be strong enough to overcome it? What's the mystery behind that playful little Calumon? Most importantly, what will happen between Renamon and her human Tamer Rika? Find out in the next chapter, _"Broken Ties, New-found Relationships."_

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So, what do you people think? It's not the greatest work of literature, but I hopefully promise that it'll get better in the future. Point in fact, I don't write well if I don't have avid readers and supporters who review my stories. I'm crossing my fingers and pleading that people will read this and enjoy. I also do realize that it seems a bit rushed (B/N: Yes, get to the smut already!! XPP JK/JK) and boring for the time being, but I'm simply retelling events that occurred in past episodes and I'm dying to introduce my new character. Anyways, until next time, ja ne!

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Sneak Preview of _Broken Ties, New-found Relationships_

"I did it…I beat those Digimon all by myself…Perhaps the others were wrong, perhaps I don't need Rika to get stronger…" The distraught fox moved out of the dissolving field only to see her Tamer just a few yards away. Rika had watched the whole battle with shaky eyes, her cards and scanner in hand. Watching the battle, she saw how much stronger Renamon had gotten since their first encounter._ Maybe she doesn't need me anymore…well good, I don't need her either!_ With that thought, the girl dropped her items on the ground and ran off, leaving the demon fox to sigh and faze out of view.


	2. Broken Ties, NewFound Relationships

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything that has to do with Digimon except my own character(s), as you'll see later on in the story. Everything else, sadly, belongs to Yukio Kaizawa and Chiaki J. Konaka (bless them for giving me the inspiration to write this). This portion of the fan fiction is taken from episode 11 and 12. I don't take any credit for the storyline of this beginning portion of my story.

**Author's Notes:** I'm back with some new, contemporary ideas that will rock your world! Just kidding -.-;; I am back with another chapter and hope you guys enjoy it fully. I write for your pleasure. Anyways, for those who read this story, I hope you enjoy and send some constructive reviews to me. Ttyl's Digi-lovers!! Sorry for the late post, but my IRL life's been sooo hectic it's not funny at all -cries- and with all the stuff going on, I never had the chance to work on this. So after several months, here's the next chappy.

**Warning:** This story is M rated for a reason. There are lemons and limes (B/N: And apples and oranges?) in this story, though not necessarily this chapter, as well as zoophilia/bestiality (for those who don't know this is sex between human and animal, technically Digimon aren't human so I'll list them under animals) and age play (once again for those who aren't into these sexual terms age play is sex or sexual play between people with a large age discrepancy, often called pedophilia). Everything here is consensual and there's nothing forced. I hope you enjoy.

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**Chapter 2: Broken Ties, New-found Relationships**

The humanoid creature in front of Takato towered over him, coupled with an enormous sword to match the Digimon's bulky form. His entire armor was mostly red, spikes coming from random places. Behind, tattered wings fell upon the warrior's back, obviously not for the use of flight. All around, fur covered Musyamon's body, adding to the feral look accompanied by a set of razor-sharp fangs. Those piercing eyes certainly did not help to relieve Takato of the fear eating away at his stomach. Goggle-head quickly took out his Scanner, gaining information on their new opponent, Musyamon. While the young brunette learned about the new Digimon's information and attacks, the large creature started to attack, a fearsome look evident in those psychotic eyes. Having been "deleted" earlier by a strange program, Musyamon was back to wreak some havoc.

"Vengeance is mine!!" cried the Samurai, sword held high in position and ready to slice any who came near to oppose his might. As the blade swung down, Tamer and Digimon dodged to the side, avoiding the sharp edge by mere inches. Takato, not wanting to drag this battle out any longer than he had to, quickly flipped through his deck and pulled out a modify card, swiping it through his Scanner.

"Digi-modify! Hyper-sonic activate!" With those words, the red Digimon suddenly became a blur of motion, leaving only a trail of leaves in his wake. Guilmon charged at the warrior, narrowly avoiding the blade a second time. With the new speed he acquired, the small dinosaur jumped and twisted in mid-air, delivering a harsh kick to Musyamon's shoulder. "Digi-modify! Mega-pyrosphere activate!" The next card gave Guilmon the firepower to create a huge ball of fire, sending it well on its way towards its target. Musyamon, being a skilled Champion fighter, easily dodged the raging fireball and readied his own attack.

"Taking orders from a human? Pathetic" growled the muscular form, bringing the sword behind him. He soon charged at the red dinosaur, using a combination of kicks and slashes to easily overpower Guilmon. From a distance, atop a building, a pair of silver-blue eyes watched the battle, interest sparking in those stunning orbs. Keeping his excitement to himself, the hidden figure made sure to remain under cover, not wanting to reveal his position to the others. Below, the fight raged on, the sweat and worry on Takato's face clear evidence that this was not going to be a battle easily won. Outside the Digital Field, Terriermon tried again, to no avail, to convince Henry to fight. Like last time, Henry wisely told his Digimon to be quiet.

**--****MOMENTAI****--**

Elsewhere in a technologically advanced building, three figures watched the battle through various instruments. Two females rapidly typed away at the keys in front of them, locking onto the location of the battle and relaying the information to their superior, the ever-mysterious Yamaki. Upon hearing the location, he quickly exited the building, heading towards the battle in hopes of catching just a glimpse of what was going on. _Perhaps I could gain some more information from this battle…damn creatures trying to wreck our world…_ With that mindset, the male adult rushed off to "research."

**--****MOMENTAI****--**

Meanwhile, back at the battle, a crowd gathered around the dense mist, trying to make head or tail of what this suspicious cloud was doing in the middle of the street. Terriermon and his Tamer moved with the crowd, both wanting to battle but only one showing his desire to do so. "Aren't you curious?" The poor dog Digimon was desperate to fight again, his insatiable desire to know what was going on pushing at Henry's patience. Just as Henry was about to retort, a little girl lost her balloon, the red, hollow rubber ball floating into the mist. The girl, unbeknownst to what the mist really was, chased after her precious gift. Mortified, the usually calm Tamer gave chase, attempting to protect the powerless girl from harm. As he entered the mist, his eyes wandered over to the battle, watching with fear in his eyes as the red Rookie Digimon bit into Musyamon's swinging shoulders.

"Digi-modify! Hyper-wing activate!" Six brilliant wings sprouted from the dinosaur's back, enabling the grounded Digimon to take flight. However, the poor, naïve Digimon had no control over his newfound power of flight, causing him to lose control while attempting to attack the Samurai Digimon. "Takato! Watch out!" Unable to hold in his anxiety any longer, Henry cried out anything to try and help his poor friend. "Huh? Henry? Help me!"

"What now? If I do nothing, we'll all be made into sushi!" (A/N: I swear, Japanese people come up with the weirdest comments XDD). With each step, the menacing Digimon walked closer to the pair of Tamers and their Digimon, an evil chuckle following the samurai. "I-I don't think I can talk us out of this one!" (A/N: Oh sure, talk them to death…) Both Tamers watch in horror as Musyamon walked over to his actual target: the defenseless girl who had foolishly wandered into the dense mist.

"Goodbye, human!" Musyamon brought the sword above his head, smirking down at the girl with nothing but evil intent in his eyes. Determined, and likely pissed off that the warrior would pick on a girl less than a quarter of its size, Henry called out Terriermon to finally battle. "Well it's about time," huffed the impatient canine.

"Digi-modify! Hyper-sonic activate!" With his new speed, Terriermon rushed at the Champion and delivered a bone-cracking head butt, forcefully making the samurai fly several meters back. Outside, Calumon watched with shining eyes, eager to help out his playmates. _Maybe this will help…_ As always, the small, playful Digimon provided Terriermon with the energy the dog Digimon required to jump to the next level. "Terriermon digivolve to…" Data stripped away at Terreriermon's body, leaving only the framework behind. The framework soon took shape of a bigger, much more powerful Digimon. New skin flew back onto the large framework, completing the digivolution. "…Gargomon!" The large creature giggled happily as he shot his bullets at the charging Musyamon, dodging the slash. "Shogun Sword!" The huge Samurai jumped up and came down with a swing of his large blade. Retaliating, Gargomon charged up his own attack, punching the warrior in the chest. "Gargo Lasers!" Henry, watching with sheer excitement, let out a sigh of relief, seeing that his Digimon wouldn't go trigger-happy like the last couple times. _He did it!_ It was very pleasing to know Gargomon was now in control, no longer shooting whatever he could see.

With the punch, Musyamon's sword flew towards the lone balloon still floating in the mist. Guilmon, with his bright wings, quickly nabbed the balloon away from the sword's path just as the metal weapon disintegrated into bits of data. Musyamon quickly followed suit, screaming out in agony and dismay. The data flew towards Gargomon, said Digimon closing his eyes and absorbing the data to become stronger. From above, Guilmon watched happily as his friend gained control of his Champion form.

"Great job, Gargomon," praised the dinosaur. However, Guilmon's flying power wore off at that moment, causing the large creature to come pummeling to the ground. Not phased in the least by the fall, Guilmon simply handed the balloon to the girl and smiled happily. "Here you go." The girl ran up happily to Guilmon, thanking him and taking the balloon. It never occurred to her exactly what saved her balloon, as long as she got it back. Around them, the mist began to fade as the battle had concluded, revealing the two Digimon and their Tamers for the world to see. They all gasped before taking off quickly away from the crowd, not wanting to draw extra attention to themselves. As the city returned to its normal busy self, no one noticed a shadow upon the rooftop, silently jumping from building to building towards the Nonaka compound, nor did they notice a lone human adult in the background, watching with a gleam upon his sunglasses.

**--****MOMENTAI****--**

Behind the cover of the stone walls, the four friends had their conversation. "I guess you were right, Gargomon," said Henry, "There are some battles that are worth fighting for. And since we're partners, I guess I need to learn more about taming." The large, gun-wielding Digimon just smiled happily and said his famous line. "Momentai." (A/N: Never knew Terriermon was Cantonese XDD although he does have a weird accent…) "Hey Guilmon, I owe you an apology, too," started the goggle-head. "I really messed up today. I just kept swiping one card after another. I didn't even think about what might happen to you." Guilmon, carefree as always, had really no clue what Takato was trying to get at; nevertheless the red lizard attempted to accept the apology and cheer up his Tamer. "No problem; I kinda liked flying anyway." Throwing his hands up in the air, Guilmon tried to say Gargomon's favorite phrase. "Tomimai!" Everyone just laughed and spent the rest of the time trying to get Guilmon to say the word properly. As they ran off to the park, Yamaki came out of his hiding place behind the tree, eyes glaring at the two Digimon who had "befriended" the two Tamers.

The suit-clad adult drove back to his technologically advanced building, thinking about the past events. Around him, his subordinates talked about distortions in the field and all sorts of weird events that occurred recently. Though Yamaki was giving out orders, his mind was completely revolving around what he had just seen. Digimon and humans shouldn't be interacting like that; all Digimon were evil, here only to disrupt the balance between the human and digital world. What he had just seen, however, completely disproved all his theories and assumptions. Shaking those wavering thoughts from his mind, Yamaki glared at an inanimate object in the lab, growling quietly. "Those kids are a nuisance," declared the arrogant adult. Taking one last glance at the retreating group, Yamaki turned heel and headed back towards his base.

**--****MOMENTAI****--**

Takato ran to the playground, late for his "meeting" with his two friends. "Aww man, you guys started without me." The two simply kept and looked the other way, somewhat afraid to talk to the goggle-wearing freak. "What's wrong guys? Why did you run away yesterday?" Takato was obviously referring to the meeting between his friends and his beloved Guilmon, which did not end up so well. Guilmon was somewhat sick and so he stayed at the back of the cave, showing only a pair of glowing, menacing, yellow eyes that shone through the darkness. What really scared the two boys off, however, was when Guilmon sneezed and caused a great wind to blow.

"Umm, stuff to do…" claimed the brown-haired friend. The other simply kept quiet, unsure of what excuse to give to Takato. Both of them thought that meeting the Digimon was simply a prank, one that Takato had taken too far to scare his two friends. "How did you make him look so real?" retorted Kazu. He tried to keep his façade of being a fearless card player, but inside he was scared of what he had seen in the park that day. "Well," began Takato, "he looks real because he IS real." Kazu and Kenta simply looked at Takato and smiled, "Yeah, right…"

Both remembered those glowing eyes they saw and shook their heads to get rid of the nightmarish vision. Quickly, they packed up their cards into their respective boxes. Takato looked on with a shocked face. "Hey, but I just got here!" Kazu sighed and turned to Takato, speaking for both himself and the quiet boy.

"You're beginning to freak us out, dude."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you made a Digimon out of rubber eyes and a flashlight, and you're trying to mess us up with it."

"You're crazy! Well, why would I do something like that?" The pair simply ignored him and kept on walking away. "Come on, guys! I know it's freaky, but he's a real Digimon! You begged to see him, and then you ran away before he could even say 'hi'!"

Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Jeri looked on as her friend claimed he had a real Digimon. She couldn't help but let out an excited gasp. Finally, after all this time, she'd be able to see a real Digimon! No more pretending that she was a powerful Tamer with an imaginary friend: she'd be able to touch, see, and talk to a real-live Digimon!

**--****MOMENTAI****--**

Miles away, on the balcony of his company's building, Yamaki looked over the busy city, smirking at the immaturity of the children. _Those kids don't know what they're dealing with…it's time to show them how nasty it can be_. With that, he set plans to create a portal from the Digital World to the human world, attempting to make it so that the Tamers would have a difficult time. Little did he know that these Tamers were adamant and loyal, unwilling to part with their Digimon just as their Digimon were unwilling to part with their Tamers. The same, however, could not be said for Rika and Renamon.

After school, Rika walked a solitary walk back home, entering the gates of her compound. At the front door, she looked back at the yard, searching for any signs of her yellow-furred Digimon. _Is she really gone?_ she asked herself. _I knew that stuff was nonsense…_ Stubborn to the end, Rika, even when alone, wouldn't admit that she did miss her Digimon, despite her dislike for them. _She never really cared about me, no matter what she says. If she cared, she'd be here…she was just using me…_ It never did occur to the champion battler that this relationship needed to work both ways. Renamon was true to herself, telling Rika that she did care for the Tamer; Rika, on the other hand, refused to let any emotion show, and that eventually led to their ultimate breakup.

Renamon was having similar thoughts about Rika, wandering in the parks of Japan. It just so happened that at that same moment, an opportune Digital Field opened up at the baseball field, not very far from there the fox Digimon was pacing. Three bee-like Digimon entered the human world though the portal, flying forward to face the Kitsune. The battle ensued in the Field, while outside Rika ran up to the fog and watched from outside pondering whether or not to help the fox. Calumon was already there, waiting to aid Renamon and digivolve her if the time came. The playful Digimon turned to the Ice Queen and asked what's wrong, but being the cold person she is, Rika simply looked on at the battle.

Inside, Renamon was having a difficult time keeping up with three Digimon, flying ones at that. She was able to knock one to the ground with her tail and delete another, but the third flew up behind her and fired a stinger, landing on her thigh. Wincing, she pulled out the obstruction, though the wound left her limping and unable to move as fast as she needed to. _Rika, where are you?_ It was in times like these that the Tamer would come to Renamon's rescue, but Renamon knew, deep down in her heart, that the Tamer wouldn't come this time. _Rika's not coming; I HAVE to do this alone…_ The wounded fox rose to her two feet shakily, the stinger having done its job on her.

Henry felt the Digital Field and ran over, only to find that Renamon was already inside while Rika was just staring at the Field. "Rika, what are you doing outside? You're missing the fight. That's not like you. Where's Renamon? Is she in there?"

"She needs you," interjected the soccerball-like Digimon. Rika ignored the two, her grip on her scanner tightening even more. Inside, the poor fox wasn't faring too well.

"Lightning Sting!" The two remaining bees cried out their attack simultaneously, double the power of the attack. Electricity shot out from the tips of their wing. Their target: Renamon. Each bolt scored a direct hit on the already hurt fox, causing even more damage to her body. Rika knew how much pain her Digimon was in, but the colder side of her would never let her become warm and caring. Instead, Rika continued to watch with cold eyes.

Renamon lay on her back, feinting pain as the two flying Digimon hovered closer and closer to her unmoving body. Just as they came in range, Renamon shot her eyes open and jumped up to her feet, dodging between the two and somersaulting into the air between them. Upon reaching the peak of her jump, Renamon cried out her ultimate attack. "Diamond Storm!" Shards of pure energy formed in front of her, each acting like a mini-bullet as they fired towards the two Digimon. Unable to take the beating, the two Digimon were easily deleted and their bodies turned to data. The bits of data flew to Renamon, fusing with the data in her body to make her stronger.

"I did it…I beat those Digimon all by myself…Perhaps the others were wrong, perhaps I don't need Rika to get stronger…" The distraught fox moved out of the dissolving field only to see her Tamer just a few yards away. Rika had watched the whole battle with shaky eyes, her cards and scanner in hand. Watching the battle, she saw how much stronger Renamon had gotten since their first encounter._ Maybe she doesn't need me anymore…well good, I don't need her either!_ With that thought, the girl dropped her items on the ground and ran off, leaving the demon fox to sigh and faze out of view.

The D-Scanner glowed before turning back into a regular scanner, one that connected to the computer to play the game online. Scattered cards simply laid there until the fox Digimon fazed back with sad eyes. Looking down at the cards, Renamon bent to scoop up the deck, jumping into a nearby tree to place them in the hole. No one noticed a pair of silver-blue eyes in the trees, watching the whole thing from atop the branches. As night fell, the shadowed figure jumped down and headed towards the Nonaka compound.

—**OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—**

Sneak Preview of _Forging a Friendship_

Heaving, Renamon looked up into the silver-blue eyes, orbs so captivating it felt as though her spirit left her body, leaving her completely unable to move, breathe, turn away. The younger boy's body was light on top of her, though the exercise they had just gone through made it seem as though he was pinning her to the ground. For a moment, two hearts thumped as one, sweat pouring off both their bodies but neither seeming to mind. Just as quickly as he pinned her to the ground, Hitori quickly stood up and collected himself, turning away to hide the light blush rising to his cheeks.

—**OWARI—OWARI—OWARI—OWARI—OWARI—OWARI—OWARI—**

**Reviews:**

**keinve and sein:** Yay!! Thank you for the kind comments. Props for being my first reviewer. I hope you enjoy the story as it continues to unfold.

**Cryzzel:** Long time no see! It's alright as long as you like the story. We should keep in touch more often XD

**Horolaggia:** Renamon grew to be my favorite Digimon and I was somewhat upset that they paired her with such a cold-hearted Tamer like Rika. I know the series makes Rika more warmer later, but I like my way much better :3

**KITTEN:** Well thanks for the support, sheesh. I love you too baby…and I do NOT work too hard!! It's not my fault I have to please my readers…

**link:** Thank you for your support.

**Kixyi:** Haven't you commented enough on my papers the first time you went through them? And I told you already, smut comes LATER!!

**dude41:** Understandably, the scenes were very choppy. This chapter is also that way, but that's only because I took these scenes from the Digimon episodes. They tend to change scenes very quickly. Once I start writing up my own original work, I'm sure things will begin to smooth out a bit. And I live for cliffhangers :D Get used to them!!

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully it won't take another months to put up the next chapter. TTYLS

Tsubaki


	3. Forging a Friendship

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Digimon names, characters, etc., except for my own character.

**Author's Notes:** Ah, finally I get to use my creative mind to come up with something new. The past two chapters have both been simple recaps of the episodes that I watched, but from here on out everything will be original and my own ideas. If there are similarities to any other story, I apologize for it in advance. Also, a shout out to all those who reviewed my story thus far. It's your support that keeps me going strong. Arigatou!! I've made a bit of a mistake with the name for my OC. In the preview in the second chapter, I typed his name as Hitori when it should be Tsubaki. Don't ask how I got them mixed up; I'm not even sure myself.

**Warning:** This story is M rated for a reason. There are lemons and limes (B/N: And apples and oranges?) in this story, though not necessarily this chapter, as well as zoophilia/bestiality (for those who don't know this is sex between human and animal, technically Digimon aren't human so I'll list them under animals) and age play (once again for those who aren't into these sexual terms age play is sex or sexual play between people with a large age discrepancy, often called pedophilia). Everything here is consensual and there's nothing forced. I hope you enjoy.

**(insert space here)**

**Chapter 3: Forging a Friendship**

The next day was troubling for Renamon, her faith in humans now shattered. As she sat atop a roof, her eyes watched the sun slowly rise to create an array of pink, purple and blue across the morning sky. Eyes slowly closed, body basking in the warmth that the sun brought. _What do I do now? Without a Tamer, I'll slowly disappear..._

Meanwhile, in three different houses, Henry, Takato, and Rika woke up to get ready for school, each grabbing their bags and running off before the late bell rang. Terriermon watched Henry rush out the door with a wave and a "bye," eyes watering as if to say, "TAKE ME WITH YOU!!" Suzie was still sleeping beside the dog Digimon, though just about to wake up. Not wanting to be her plaything today, Terriermon quickly jumped out of the window and hopped onto the rooftop, ramming into a mass of fur and muscle.

"Oof…who put that wall there?" Terriermon rubbed his head while opening his eyes to look up at the object he had run into. Eyes open even wider as cold, icy blue eyes stare down at the dog Digimon. The smaller Digimon trembled a bit, knowing the cold nature of the other. His fear quickly turned into confusion and surprise as the fox simply turned away from their staring contest and looked back towards the horizon. Her eyes had a longing look to them, almost as if she had lost a part of herself. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Renamon simply continued to stare at the horizon, her thoughts nothing but a jumble of words. Nothing seemed to come out right when she worked it out in her head, but one thing was sure: she needed to talk this out with someone. "Have you ever felt so lost that you lose who you are?" At this question, the floppy-eared creature cocked his head to the side, turning to fall onto his soft bottom and take a seat next to the female.

"I'm not quite sure what you mean, but sometimes I feel lost when Henry leaves for school. I'm sure Guilmon feels the same way most of the time because Takato is always away from him. I think that when we're separate from our Tamers, our connection weakens and we feel lost. Momentai, I'm sure things will work out with Rika in the end."

The mention of the Tamer's name sent a sharp pain up Renamon's spine, a feeling of depression pressing against the back of her head. Renamon quickly shook off these feelings and sighed, eyes now looking down at the busy streets below. Terriermon gave a soft whine as he stared at the yellow-furred beauty, wandering just what was going wrong with his Digimon friend.

**--MOMENTAI—**

School ended quickly for Rika, her thoughts having kept her in a daze for most of the day. As she shuffled back home, she wondered about what Renamon was doing right now. _She's probably off fighting by herself again…isn't this what I wanted? To have a strong Digimon?_

Little did she know that the D-Scanner she dropped the day before had already turned back into its original scanner, becoming useless in battle. Each step home seemed to echo Rika's bad mood, causing most of the people to give her a wide berth. Turning towards the door to her compound, she could make out the sounds of someone fighting behind them. Her mother was off somewhere, and surely she couldn't know how to fight. Her grandmother was out of the question. So who was here?

Opening the door, she spotted her cousin who had, long ago, moved to America. At the sound of the door opening, the young boy turned his head and stared at Rika with eerie silver-blue eyes. "You're home." It was more of a statement than a question.

His stature was quite slender and small, being only ten years old and standing at a mere four feet high. Long silver hair hung loosely behind him, tied at the end with a hair-tie. All in all, he looked much like a girl, save for his obvious male features. On him was his typical attire for fighting: a white martial arts uniform.

"What are you doing here?" Even when speaking to her family members, Rika's voice carried that cold tone.

Tsubaki paused in the middle of one of his katas and glanced to the side, the corner of his eerie eyes staring at her. He smirked slightly before turning completely, sweat glistening on his forehead. Closing his eyes, Tsubaki simply walked right past Rika, as if she wasn't even there, and grabbed the towel hanging from a hook on the wall.

Irked by the boy's ignorance, Rika stomped over to him and moved to punch him. "Hey, I asked you a question, cousin."

Without so much as an upward glance, Tsubaki calmly caught the incoming fist with his own dainty one, slowing the punch to a complete stop. "You were never a match for me, Nonaka-sama." Such a respectful boy, but the tone he used seem to mock her title as the Ice Queen. Rika watched as the young prodigy let her hand go and walked off with a smug grin into one of the houses.

"A word of warning, Nonaka-sama," called out the child from the doorway. "Your rude behavior towards others will only hurt you in the end."

Now fully annoyed and angered beyond reason, the ex-Tamer stomped off towards her own room, locking it securely and signing onto her computer. Perhaps some surfing could get her mind off her recent problems…

**--MOMENTAI—**

Night fell on the city residents, covering them all with a peaceful blanket of darkness…all but one. Renamon stalked the rooftops, hopping from building to building. As she jumped, the fox contemplated all the events that had occurred, from her "relationship" with her Tamer and the battle that she was able to fight alone. Suddenly, a cold and evil sensation washed over Renamon, stopping her dead in her tracks. Blue eyes quickly scanned the area and tried to track the source of the uncomfortable feeling; however, her usually perceptive eyes caught nothing out of the ordinary.

The yellow creature shrugged it off as a side effect of the way she was feeling and continued jumping from rooftop to rooftop, her feet subconsciously taking her back to the Nonaka compound. Behind her, the shadows blblurredur to reveal a creature that was thought to be deleted. A smug grin formed on his lips as he spread out his white wings and took the sky, leaving behind a trail of ice and snow. "You'll be mine again, my Ice Queen…"

**--MOMENTAI—**

"Tsubaki, come help your grandma with dinner." The old lady slowly sauntered into the kitchen, followed by the prodigy. His impassive face remained emotionless as he walked through the kitchen with a flair only owned by masters of their craft. Knives and food flew throughout the kitchen, though each item was accurately cutting something or falling into a dish or pot. His grandmother simply stood off to the side, proud of her grandson for being so smart, no matter what task was set before him.

Within twenty minutes, all the food was set on the table, laid out in its glory. If you looked close enough, the dishes seemed to sparkle with radiance. Both grandmother and grandson took their seats while Rika followed the smell of food into the dining room and sat down at the end.

"Itadekimasu." All three said the traditional word before diving into the food. The atmosphere was slightly uncomfortable, what with Rika glaring at her hated cousin. Elder Nonaka watched with amused eyes and simply shook her head. Rika had always been jealous of Tsubaki.

Tsubaki quietly stood up with his clean dishes and set them aside in the sink to wash later. He bowed respectively to his grandmother and walked back to the dojo to practice again. After all, though he already mastered it, he could always improve his speed and flexibility. As he walked though his katas, he felt a pair of eyes on him from the open dojo door. Tsubaki stopped and walked outside, looking around for a bit with his lazy eyes before walking back in and resuming his forms.

Renamon let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Something about the young child made her feel intimidated, scared and submissive even. She continued to watch him, slowly moving closer and closer to the dojo door at a pace that would hopefully make her undetectable. The crafty fox slipped in easily past the doors and hid herself in the corner, hiding behind some weaponry. Just as she took a step to get a better view, Tsubaki stopped his katas and walked over to the weapon stack. Another breath was held as the young boy walked closer and closer.

Tsubaki didn't seem to notice Renamon, simply grabbing a katana without a guard. Walking to another door, he pulls out several bundles of hay, placing them randomly around the room. He stood at the center of the room, eyes closing to calm himself. Suddenly, those icy-blue eyes opened to show a fierce fire in them. With inhuman speed, the young prodigy flew at the bundles of hay and slashed at them. Just as he sliced through the last bundle, all the hay simply fell down, cleaved straight across the middle. He sheathed the katana and set up bamboo sticks in the same exact places. They were smaller and harder than hay, much harder targets. Again, Tsubaki cut through them with little resistance.

At this point, Renamon was standing, careless of her position and visibility. She watched as Tsubaki set up thick logs in the places where the bamboo fell. This wasn't possible! No child should be able to have this much power. Nevertheless, the young boy continued to amaze her as the same move cut through the logs with the same ease and speed. Tsubaki stood at the center, facing away from the fox and closed his eyes again. "So, you came."

Renamon let out a small gasp and slowly walked out from her hiding place, not knowing what she should do now that she was caught. Tsubaki slowly turned to face her and sheathed his katana, walking towards her to place the weapon back on the rack. The two faced each other for a few minutes, eyes scanning eyes to try and measure up the abilities of their opponent. Suddenly, both let loose a punch, easily caught by the opposing force. Renamon smirked as their sparring began.

Kicks, punches, and blocks were all used to fight, each movement nothing more than a blur. For the first time since she appeared in this world, Renamon was having fun. Sure, it was painful, but the sheer exhilaration of meeting a worthy opponent was worth it. Tsubaki kept up with her attacks and speed, blocking everything with a grace she couldn't imagine. Suddenly, a sweep kick swiped at her lower legs, leaving her unbalanced to fend off the sudden punch to her midsection. Despite being defeated, Renamon wanted retaliation and kicked at his legs to make them buckle.

Heaving, Renamon looked up into the silver-blue eyes, orbs so captivating it felt as though her spirit had left her body, leaving her completely unable to move, breathe, turn away. The younger boy's body was light on top of her, though the exercise they had just gone through made it seem as though he was pinning her to the ground. For a moment, two hearts thumped as one, sweat pouring off both their bodies but neither seeming to mind. Just as quickly as he pinned her to the ground, Tsubaki quickly stood up and collected himself, turning away to hide the light blush rising to his cheeks.

Renamon watched with a strange feeling in her chest as the younger boy stood there, bashfully hiding his face. Just as he began to take his first few steps towards the dojo door, the fallen creature reacted automatically, reaching out and grabbing his hand. "Wait."

That one word hung there between them, one of them surprised at hearing it and the other at saying it. She quickly let his hand go, though the boy made no movement to leave after that. Standing slowly, Renamon let out a sigh to try and compose herself, reigning her emotions again.

"You don't need to do that around me, you know." His voice sounded so soft and comforting, rendering all of Renamon's attempts at collecting herself useless. Blue eyes glance up at silver-blue once, meeting them in a mournful gaze.

"It's all I know…Rika taught me to keep my emotions controlled. I can only be strong when I'm in control." Her response seemed foolish, even to the fox. Tsubaki smirked, though not menacingly, and turned around to head towards the dojo door once more.

"You should go get some rest, Renamon. I'm sure you'll be needed tomorrow."

Renamon stood there, watching as the boy walked away. When he was out of earshot, she hung her head and whispered to the wind. "No, I'm not…" With those last words, she phased into the shadows, leaving the dojo as empty and still.

Just as she was about to step out of the compound, Renamon quickly turned around and jumped atop one of the roofs, peering into the window to watch the now sleeping boy. Who was he, this person that could make her feel so comfortable? With Rika, it was always work and control; there was never any time to play. She always had to keep her emotions in check. But around this boy, she could be herself. Who was he?

**--MOMENTAI—**

Morning brought another boring and passive day filled with school and work. Tsubaki decided to see what schools in Japan were like and headed towards Rika's school, tailing her from a distance. The aforementioned girl was fuming; having her genius cousin follow her around wasn't helping her already angry mood. As the pair reached the school gates, Tsubaki disappeared into the field and watched with feigned interest. The kids were laughing and kicking a soccer ball back and forth. Others were playing tennis, basketball, football even. Tsubaki seated himself at the corner of the field and continued to watch.

The day went by quickly for Tsubaki, wandering from place to place. When the sound of the school bell pierced through the air, the young boy headed back towards the compound. School was boring; practicing his katas was much more fun than listening to lectures he already studied back in the States. Tsubaki walked along the streets of Japan, looking at all the stores. He had to admit; though the schools sucked here, their technology was very advanced.

Suddenly, the boy's senses went wild, causing him to go on the defensive. Around him, mist started forming, causing him to lose his vision, save for a small circle, almost like an arena. In the middle of the circle, the space began to deform, turning into a hole. A winged figure flew out from the hole and headed straight towards Tsubaki with her horned helmet. Tsubaki dove to the side, rolling to evade the attack. The figure smirked and flapped her wings, keeping herself steady in midair.

"What do you want with me?" Tsubaki eyed the creature. It appeared just like the other Digimon had. Judging from her sudden attack, the boy guessed that she wanted something from him.

"Harpymon just wants to play!" cried out the winged figure. She dove again, making the boy roll into the street. Every aerial attack caused Tsubaki to keep dodging – her height made it hard for him to counter. A low attack made Tsubaki jump into the air, but this only made him vulnerable to Harpymon's ability to fly. He shut his eyes and waited for the impact, but the grunt that sounded wasn't his own. Falling unceremoniously onto the ground, he opened his eyes to see Renamon clutching her arm. She must have taken the hit for him.

The fight quickly became one-sided. Harpymon was a higher level, but Renamon had much more experience and had absorbed much data, strengthening her basic abilities. Harpymon kept flying around, trying to evade the swipes that the fox made with her razor-sharp claws. Renamon finally jumped into the air, curled into a ball and cried out her attack. "Diamond storm!" Blades of crystal rained down on the harpy, striking and deleting her instantly. The fox landed gracefully on her feet and closed her eyes as the other digimon's data absorbed into her own.

Now that the fight was over, the field dissipated, leaving the area exactly as it was before. Renamon turned to look at Tsubaki and then quickly ran off, not wanting to confront him. Confused and slightly injured, Tsubaki continued his trek back home.

Behind him, Rika glared at his back. Why would Renamon come to save her cousin? Even more anger boiled inside her, mixing with the jealousy that had mounted since the return of her _beloved_ cousin. Renamon belonged to her and her only; no one else could have her. With that mindset, she stomped her way back to the compound.

When she arrived, she heard noise in the dojo again. Gritting her teeth, she kept her impassive mask on and walked off into her room. In the comfort of her room, she locked the door behind her and headed towards the computer. Beside it was the scanner that she used to control Renamon. Since the battle that Renamon had ought alone, it had returned back to a regular scanner for game uses. Rika went back to get it when she noticed she didn't have her D-Arc, but when she got there, all that was left was the regular scanner. Since then, she had tried to find a blue card to make it turn back into a D-Arc again, but all her efforts were futile. Sighing, she signed onto her computer and began to play her Digimon game. Maybe being on top would allow her to become a Tamer again.

**--MOMENTAI—**

After dinner, Tsubaki walked back into the dojo in his uniform and went through his katas, this time with more preciseness and speed. Harder forms took longer and more concentration, making sweat bead on his body. As Tsubaki began challenging katas, the sweat on his body drenched through the shirt of his uniform. No one was around to see him, so the young boy carelessly tossed the shirt to the side, leaving his lightly toned body bare. Little did he know that, like last night, he had an audience.

Renamon watched the prodigy from the door again, stepping closer and closer to him. His back was towards her, and all his concentration poured into the forms he went through. Renamon held her hand up to block as the form made the boy spin around with a chop. Surprised silver-blue eyes look up at the fox, though quickly warming up to her presence. Thus began round two of their sparring session. The Kitsune vowed that she wouldn't go down so easily this time.

Again, counters were made to try and cause the other to fall, all attempts blocked with another counter. The pair seemed to be dancing more than anything, both moving with a grace that could only come from true practice. Tsubaki's mind wandered for a second to think about why Renamon was here again. That split second was all that Renamon needed to get through Tsubaki's defenses and strike his shoulder with her palm. Tsubaki's eyes opened wide as he began to fall backwards, his leg accidentally hitting Renamon's own and causing her to fall.

Tsubaki closed his eyes and braced for the impact of the ground, and then the furry being falling on top of him. The hard wooden floor was expected; soft lips against his own were not.

—**OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—**

Sneak preview of _Unwanted Emotions_

She groped around the darkness, the hazy atmosphere clouding her senses. There was someone here, someone threatening her life. A harsh cry pierced the air from somewhere behind her, causing the fox to tense up and turn quickly. In front of her, the space shifts to form a corridor. Renamon quickly ran through the hallways, trying to follow the sound of the whimpers that hung in the air. Just as she turned the last corner, she watched, with mournful eyes, the sight before her, a howl of sorrow echoing through the room. There, before she could save him, was Tsubaki's body, bloodied and broken. A dark figure emerged from the darkness, taking the form of Rika. "You'll always belong to me, Renamon…" Rika raised her hand, a club gripped tightly in her fingers, and swiftly brought it down against Renamon's head.

—**OWARI—OWARI—OWARI—OWARI—OWARI—OWARI—OWARI—**

So, do you guys like the story so far? Please keep reviewing and keeping this author's spirits alive. I thrive off your reviews!! Anyways, hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon. If you guys want to submit a scene for me to try out, you're welcome to do so; I'm making this stuff up as I go. Here's hoping you guys hear from me soon -

**Reviews:**

**Slade2.0: **Well, I'm glad you enjoy reading my work. It's not really my best, and I update very rarely, but it's something I do in my free time. I hope you continue to enjoy it. Oh, and I can't help it if some scenes are "mushy romance fluff." I'm a sucker for those kind of stuff. There will be a few romance scenes, so I apologize in advance.

**The Evil Sound Ninja:** I'm not sure if you do or do not like the story o.o but technically Rika did hurt Renamon that night after the battle. I just took those emotions to a more extreme level.


	4. 4 Unwanted Emotions

**Disclaimer:** Don't you guys get tired of this? XD

**Author's Notes:** It's a miracle! I actually managed to get two chapters up so quickly! Everything from this point on is all original, so don't mind it if you don't see many characters from the original storyline or if some of them seem OOC. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this story as the drama unfolds. As a side note, you guys are welcome to give me ideas about future events. I haven't planned out everything just yet.

**Warning:** If you haven't got the point by now, then there's no helping it XD. This story is rated M and will contain very mature topics eventually. If you're under the age of 18 (which is funny cause my beta is under 18 .) or do not enjoy age-play and/or zoophilia, then I suggest you turn tail and get outta here. This place isn't for young'uns :3. Now that that's out of the way, enjoy the story!!

**Unwanted Emotions**

Renamon quickly pulled away from the close contact, a heavy blush on her face. Surely, the kiss was entirely accidental, but that thought did nothing to shun away the fact that their lips had indeed touched. The fox turned towards the door and stared out at the foliage, her back facing the boy. Tsubaki, on the other hand, looked towards the Kitsune with slightly widened eyes, a light pink blush on his cheeks as well. The air between them was heavy, filled with both unspoken emotions and questions.

"Why are you still here? I saw what happened at that battle…shouldn't you be leaving soon?" Tsubaki worded his question carefully, not wanting to lose the presence of such comfort. Despite his efforts, however, Renamon tensed up immensely and let loose a small sigh, crouching down and hugging her knees to herself.

"Ever since Rika summoned me to this world, I've always been the strongest; there was nothing in the way of my climb to the top. In doing so, I've had to push away all my emotions to make sure they wouldn't conflict with my fights. Now that the connection with Rika is lost, I simply don't know what to do. Staying here, fighting, would be completely pointless; on the other hand, I don't want to go back to the Digital World just yet."

Her words trailed off at the end. As the younger boy listened to her saddened words, he felt a pull on his chest, as though his very heart was telling him to do something about her emotional state. Tsubaki rose quietly and stepped towards the yellow fox, placing a warm and comforting hand on her shoulder. "If it's anything to you, you're always welcome here despite what Rika may think about you."

It seemed those words were all that the Kitsune needed to hear, causing her paw to slowly reach up and touch against the human's hand. A strange feeling stung her eyes, and at once Renamon knew that she was crying. She suddenly rushed forward and jumped out of the window, shifting into the shadows to keep her privacy. The boy looked longingly at the space in which she disappeared from and sighed, walking back towards his shirt to clean up. Rubbing himself off with a convenient towel, Tsubaki took one last look at the door leading outside before heading into the house.

**-MOMENTAI­-­­**

That night, Renamon didn't rest at all with so many emotions conflicting inside her. The realistic part of her wanted to go back to Rika, only because she was "destined" to be with her, and the unreasonable side of her desired to have Tsubaki as her trainer…somehow. Tears remained untouched on her cheeks, a reminder of just how much Tsubaki could affect her, how he could simply reach into the depths of her mind and bring out her true personalities. Rika had always taught her to hide her emotions in order to be a great fighter, but with her cousin, things were very different. He accepted her emotions as if they were natural.

Wiping away the tears finally, the fox rose and jumped off in the direction of Henry's house. Perhaps this human could help her sort out these new emotions. Roof after roof disappeared under her swift feet, her destination growing closer and closer. With a final flip, Renamon landed gracefully on Henry's balcony, peering inside and knocking on the glass slowly.

Henry was obviously not expecting to see the stoic fox practically at his doorstep, but seeing how she was here, he might as well get up and see what she wanted. Tossing the blanket aside Henry walked towards his door lazily and slid it open slowly, a small breeze now blowing into the room. "What are you doing here? It's not like you to visit me so often."

Renamon glanced down at the boy before closing her eyes slowly, unsure of how to speak to Henry about her newfound emotions.

"I…don't know what to do…"

Henry gaped at her and let out a snicker, that is until those blue eyes glared at him angrily. "Ahem, maybe you should just see what you want to do more. I'm not quite sure what you're talking about, but if this has anything to do with Rika then I don't think that I can help you."

Renamon jumped onto his roof after a few moments of silence, staring up at the moon. All of her emotions seemed to calm down as she continued to stare at the serene view of the night sky above. There weren't many lights around to disturb this natural beauty, allowing the confused fox to obtain a good view of the sparkling stars as well.

Pain suddenly ran through her arm, making Renamon clutch at it with a grimace. She was used to pain from battles, but this ran much deeper than that. The Digimon watched with fearful eyes as her arm became translucent then solid, repeating again and again. Each time that her arm went translucent sent another shock into her body. After a while, the pain subsided and her arm returned to normal. _I don't have much time left…_

Despite all desires to stay in this plane, there was nothing more that the fox could do. Now completely saddened by this revelation, Renamon roof-jumped back to the Nonaka compound and huddled herself in the tree, trying to get some rest after the eventful day.

**-MOMENTAI-**

Dawn peered over the edge of the mountains, painting the sky with an array of pink, yellow and blue. It was a beauty to see, rivaled only by the sound of the birds in the air. None of this warmed the heart of one Ice Queen. Nor did it soften the fact that Rika was now without a Digimon, thus stripping her of her honorary title of a Tamer.

Rika began her morning rituals by turning on her computer and playing her game. Despite having beaten it several times, she worked to beat it faster using a harder difficulty. Frustration showed as her concentration dissipated, causing her to lose several times in the easiest parts of the level. Slamming her fists onto her desk, Rika glared at the scanner as if it would turn back into a D-arc simply by staring at it to death.

Meanwhile, Tsubaki had been up since dawn, training his young body to perfection, practicing his fighting skills in the dojo. His hair whipped around through the air, not interfering with the complicated steps and even serving as a weapon at times. Finishing a flip and a kick, he turned around and blocked a punch aimed for his head.

"Don't you ever get tired of this?" Renamon's silky voice carried easily through the crisp morning air. Tsubaki let the corner of his lips curl into a small smile before pulling away.

"I can never tire of something I love so much." With that, he pulled away and let the fox contemplate while he prepared to leave for school. Today, it seems, Fate was against him; the principal had caught him the other day and desired to push the prodigy into one of the more advanced classes, namely the one his cousin was in. Still, it would be fun to show that he was better than her, no matter what.

Donning his usual attire, Tsubaki calmly walked down the streets to the school, watching as students hustled about and met up with friends. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, not that he knew anyone to talk to, so he simply headed towards his assigned classroom and sat in the furthest corner of the room. Coincidentally, Takato sat in the chair right next to him. Rika, on the other hand, sat in the other corner in the back.

As she entered, she glared at her hated cousin and huffed silently before taking her seat. Takato, oblivious as always, took his seat and noticed the new kid next to him. "Hey there! Welcome to our school. I'm Takato, what's your name?" He stuck out his hand to the younger kid and smiled happily. In Japan, it wasn't unusual to see a younger or older kid in the class, as some excelled or failed in certain subjects.

"Tsubaki," calmly replied the other, taking Takato's hand and shaking it slowly. The teacher came into the room and announced to the entire class that there was a new student coming in today. Tsubaki simply sighed and walked to the front of classroom for everyone to see, especially a glaring Rika. Today was going to be a long day…

**-MOMENTAI-**

Renamon was bored the entire day with nothing to do. Ever since she lost her connection to Rika, she wasn't able to "feel" the Digital Fields forming. With nothing else to do, she simply sat on the Nonaka compound's roof and veered into the distance. Last night had been very confusing for her, leaving the poor fox with many unanswered questions. One stood out among all the rest: why was this young boy affecting her so deeply? For once in her life, someone acknowledged her as something more than a weapon for fighting. Tsubaki saw her as a true friend.

The Kitsune was so far into her thoughts that she didn't notice a certain dog Digimon climbing up onto the roof, panting through his effort, and tugging at the soft, furry tail. Renamon whipped her head around and pulled Terriermon onto the roof. "You're a hard one to find, Renamon."

She simply shrugged and turned to look out into the city. Terriermon walked to sit next to her and plopped his rump down on the tiles. "A couple weeks ago, you would've attacked me on the spot for pulling your tail. What's gotten into you lately?"

The question was left hanging in the air, the silence slowly building between them. When Renamon next spoke, she didn't reply to his question; rather, she gave one of her own. "Terriermon, what does it mean to have a friend?"

Terriermon was very surprised at this, smiling happily. "Renamon's made a friend? Who, who?! I guess it doesn't really matter though. You'd never tell me, right?" All he earned was a glare from the fox, telling him to answer her question or be thrown off. "Maa maa. Calm down. Friends care about each other and try to help each other through their hard times. A real friend is always there for you, even when they have to bear your pain as well. Momentai; I'm sure you'll be able to find out what a true friend does sooner or later."

They continued talking like that for a while, Renamon finally getting some of the answers that she needed. Hours passed by in the blink of an eye, and a bell rang in the distance, signaling the end of school. Terriermon waved goodbye and jumped off the roof, using his large ears to glide back to Henry's house. Renamon was left sitting there, alone once more, but at least this time her thoughts were less jumbled.

**-MOMENTAI-**

This time, Renamon didn't follow Tsubaki home, instead opting to head towards the park where she had her first battle alone. Sitting in a nearby tree, she peered into the hole and looked at the deck of cards sitting there. Each card reminded her of the thrill of battle, as well as the sadness that continued to grow inside her. Without a trainer, she'd never be able to battle again. Without a Tamer, she wouldn't be able to stay in this realm.

As she kept flipping through the cards, a blue one slipped free from the deck and fell into her lap. When the light struck it just right, a yellow figure seemed to appear in the middle. _Perhaps this is the answer to my problems…_

With that mindset, Renamon set off back towards the Nonaka compound, eager to tell her newfound friend of this discovery.

Meanwhile, Takato had taken Renamon's place in following the young prodigy home. The two hit it off rather quickly with the discussion of things from sports to Digimon. Tsubaki let the smallest of a smile appear on his lips as they continued to walk throughout the town. After wandering for some time, the pair said their goodbyes and headed towards their respective houses.

Once inside the compound, Tsubaki's grandmother asked him to prepare dinner again. Not wanting to displease the head, he placed his bag against the door to his room and headed towards the kitchen to begin his masterful work.

Dinner was, once again, eaten in a tense atmosphere. Rika continued to glare at her hated cousin while Tsubaki ate as if nothing was the matter. Tsubaki was the first to finish and stood up to place his dishes and utensils in the sink. Afterwards, he changed into his uniform and headed towards the dojo to train. Tsubak kept thinking about a certain yellow fox, hoping that she'd come to train with him. Despite that one embarrassing moment, she was a very good sparring partner.

Hours passed, and Tsubaki's disappointment grew. Renamon didn't show up, no matter how late he stayed to practice. Sighing in defeat, he wiped his face with a towel and headed back to his room to wash up and change for the night. Outside in the shadows, a pair of blue eyes traced his movements back to his room before disappearing from sight.

Tsubaki was just about to climb into his bed, having taken a shower and washed up, until he heard a light tapping against the glass of his window. He opened the shades to reveal the object of his thoughts. "Renamon…what are you doing here?" The glass door between them was quickly opened, allowing the Kitsune to step into the room.

Instead of answering, Renamon walked in a couple steps, her eyes cast downward. Seeing her discomfort, Tsubaki lets a small smile radiate from his face before closing the door and sitting down on his bed. "Have you come to talk, or just stand there?"

Eyes quickly looked up at the boy, slightly wide and shocked. They warmed up quickly, however, seeing the peaceful gaze of the child. "It's hard for me to describe what I'm feeling. With Rika, it was always battling and never just spending time together. She was my Tamer, but we were the least connected of the three. Rika never cared for me; all she cared was that I could fight and be the strongest so she could brag. With you, though, time seems to stop for me. I'm able to have fun fighting with you and talking with you; it's an experience that I can't even begin to understand."

Tsubaki smiled wider and chuckled quietly before speaking. "You know, I never thought I'd hear the stoic Digimon ever talk to me like this, but my situation is the same as yours. When I came to Japan, I had no connections whatsoever. All of my family members are in the States, and this compound only consists of Rika, my grandmother, and my aunt. My aunt is never home, my grandmother wishes only to brag about me, and Rika is Rika. I could never fit in here, but you…you make it comfortable enough for me to bear."

With that said, the atmosphere seemed to calm down a bit, allowing Renamon to take a seat next to Tsubaki. The pair continued to talk for a while, letting the time pass by them. Standing, Renamon smiled to her friend and closed her eyes. "Oyasuminasai, tomodachi." The word was unfamiliar, but it sent a warm feeling throughout both their bodies.

"Oyasumi," replied the boy. Renamon leapt through the open door and into the trees where she roosted for the night. Tsubaki stared at the trees before climbing into his bed. Perhaps staying in Japan wouldn't be so bad after all.

**-MOMENTAI-**

_She groped around the darkness, the hazy atmosphere clouding her senses. There was someone here, someone threatening her life. A harsh cry pierced the air from somewhere behind her, causing the fox to tense up and turn quickly. In front of her, the space shifted to form a corridor. Renamon quickly ran through the hallways, trying to follow the sound of the whimpers that hung in the air. Just as she turned the last corner, she watched, with mournful eyes, the sight before her, a howl of sorrow escaping her lips. There, before she could save him, was Tsubaki's body, bloodied and broken._

_A dark figure emerged from the darkness, taking the form of Rika. "You'll always belong to me, Renamon…" Rika raised her hand, a club gripped tightly in her fingers, and swiftly brought it down against Renamon's head._

Renamon woke with a start, sweat dripping from her brow. The last time she had dreamt was of Takato, and their fateful meet had bloomed a strange relationship between him and her. This time, it was a nightmare, utilizing her fear. She couldn't lose her first friend like that, especially to Rika. Her eyes turned towards the opened window where the boy slept, peaceful and angelic even in his sleep. Maybe if she asked him…

Her thought was left uncompleted, however, as pain began to lace up her arm again. This time, the pain lasted much longer, and was much more intense. She did all she could to keep the cries to herself, but could do nothing about the smaller whines that betrayed her throat. After the pain passed, Renamon stared up at the night sky and silently made a promise to herself that she'd ask Tsubaki the next time they met.

**-MOMENTAI-**

The next day happened to be Sunday, and it seemed to be a day of play and rest for Renamon. Rika always played her game on this day, opting to making newer and stronger combinations to use in battle. From the moment he woke, however, Tsubaki's rituals for this day were very different. He dressed in a black, formal wear and headed towards the local church. Always staying some distance behind him, Renamon followed silently.

Upon reaching the church, Tsubaki headed inside and sat in the seats, listening to the words of the pastor. His eyes seemed to be wide with attention, taking in the words with much gratitude. Tsubaki was a devout Christian, despite his family heritage and the typical behaviors of everyone around him. Renamon continued to watch, no matter how long it took, and waited for him in a tree.

An hour passed before Tsubaki walked back out of the church and headed back to his home, Renamon tailing him once more. He didn't change out of his clothes, but headed towards the kitchen to fix some lunch. Two sandwiches were quickly prepared and Tsubaki walked out to sit on the ledge of the walkway surrounding the house. Silver-blue eyes glanced up at the tree in which Renamon was hiding and then back down at the sandwich. "You know, if you stay up there, you're going to get hungry."

Renamon jumped down from the tree and took a seat next to Tsubaki, grasping the sandwich slowly and taking small bites. As a Digimon, the need to eat was negligible, but having something to eat was satisfying and filling. The two made some small talk, causing the usually quiet boy to laugh loudly in happiness and the fox to smile warmly in return. Through the window, Rika watched with a jealous glare as the two finished their lunch then headed to training room.

"It's not fair, he doesn't deserve her power. I'm the only one who can be the strongest and use Renamon to her full extent." Rika slammed her fist against her useless scanner and glared at the computer screen. "This game is so stupid…"

**-MOMENTAI­-**

Another spar commenced as soon as the two entered the dojo, Tsubaki's formal clothes forgotten in a corner. Apparently, he had been expecting this and chose to wear his light uniform under the black clothes. The pair danced gracefully between each other's steps, countering and blocking each blow as if they were nothing. At times, attacks managed to hit their targets, causing the receiver to grunt in pain, but neither backed down from the challenge. The spar ended nearly an hour later, sweat dripping heavily off their bodies. Fully exhausted, but not wanting to give an inch, Tsubaki held out his hand to Renamon who took the hand and shook it firmly.

The two walked over to the wall and leaned against it to cool down, sitting to rest their tired legs. It was quiet, Tsubaki drinking his water and Renamon simply thinking, until the fox' soft voice spoke out her thoughts. "It's been awkward, these new revelations that I've had, but I don't regret any of them. The only thing I do regret is not being able to stay here."

Tsubaki frowned at this, knowing that Renamon wasn't able to stay because of the absence of the connection she had with a Tamer. "Is there anything I could do?" Such innocence did not go unanswered as Renamon slowly held out the deck she had saved, the shiny blue card gleaming at the top of the deck.

"There is…" Without another word, Renamon left the deck there and disappeared from view, unable to stay to see what his decision was. Tsubaki stared at the deck for a while and reached out for the card, feeling it tingle slightly under his fingertips. He looked up only to see that Renamon had disappeared. Keeping his stoic face, he walked back into the house to shower.

As the water dripped down his pale body, washing away the grime and sweat, thoughts muddled up inside Tsubaki's head. On one side, he could have Renamon as his Digimon and they could fight in unison; they'd be happy to have each other. On the other hand, he wasn't quite sure he could handle this responsibility. From what Takato told him, being a Tamer was quite a large task. Eyes steeled themselves as Tsubaki came to a decision.

Quickly exiting the shower, he quickly donned his clothing and grabbed the blue card from the deck. Without a second thought, Tsubaki swiped the card across the game scanner attached to his computer. Nothing happened. Now immensely disappointed, Tsubaki slumped onto his bed and climbed into it, tossing the blue card onto the table. Tired from the previous spar, he quickly slipped into a dreamless slumber.

As the minutes ticked by, the electronic device on Tsubaki's desk beeped in different tones before glowing. When the light receded, all that was left was a pure black D-Arc.

—**OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—OMAKE—**

Sneak Preview of _A New Life_

_Why do these thoughts plague me?_ Renamon jumped from roof to roof, shaking her head to try and clear the memory that was replaying over and over in her head. Ever since the accident during their spar a few days back, all she could think about was having those warm lips on her own again. It was comforting, warm, and made her feel wanted in a way that she couldn't describe. Her thoughts kept her from seeing where she was going clearly, causing her to slip on a tile and fall to the street below. Fate, it seemed, was not on her side today as the fox found her lips being caressed by someone else's.


End file.
